Bali is synonymous with the perfect “tropical paradise”. Rivers and streams cut through luscious green foliage, while palm-fringed white beaches and a crystal-clear ocean fulfil all one’s dreams of a tropical beach holiday.
As cold fronts sweep across the Cape Peninsula this winter, take time to dream of what it would be like to have a patio surrounded by tropical flora during warm evenings this coming summer.
Indulge your fantasy by planning and planting up a tropical Balinese-style garden this winter. If planted in the next eight weeks, you will have an established tropical garden around your patio by midsummer.
A Balinese garden is characterised by luxuriant tropical plants, where shape and foliage size take precedence over flowers.
Lush undergrowth, spiked from above with palm or tree fern fronds, is punctuated by shrubs with striking foliage or large, brightly coloured blooms.
The key to successfully creating a Balinese corner in your garden is to create an informal layout of evergreen plants with bold foliage that evokes the tropical lushness of a jungle.
Green is the dominant plant colour, with splashes of carefully placed vibrant colour acting as accents.
If you would like a Balinese-style corner in your garden this summer, follow these guidelines developed by garden designer Beverley Ballard-Tremeer:
* Water is a vital part of a Balinese garden. Use natural materials and create unstructured, natural shapes.
If your garden is large enough, install a rocky forest stream and pond, with stepping stones, a wooden bridge or a rope “suspension” bridge crossing it at the narrowest point. Use rocks and pebbles for your pond, stream or waterfall to evoke the mountain terrain of Bali.
A secluded, dark pool at the bottom of a rocky waterfall is the ideal jungle swimming pool. Make the shape informal and surround the pool with foliage that is reflected in its dark waters.
* Use natural materials for hard landscaping. For pathways, consider slate, granite, timber decking, railway sleepers, wooden paving rounds, pebbles, bark chips or an informal combination of all. Choose gazebos, pergolas, arbours and arches in timber, stone or bamboo. A gazebo with a palm frond roof is highly appropriate.
Ceramic containers and accessories glazed in bright colours look stunning in a Balinese garden. With a jungle of trees all around, wood of one sort or another – timber, bamboo or wickerwork – is the perfect material for benches, tables and chairs. Accessorise with brightly hued or colourfully embroidered cushions.
* Choose the right garden accessories. Use décor to give the required Balinese flavour to your garden, such as Balinese carvings and sculptures, ornamental water jars, colourful traditional fabrics for cushions, authentic containers and Balinese-style parasols.
* Choosing your plants. The main characteristics of jungle garden plants are that they are evergreen and have large, striking leaves. Interest is created by choosing foliage plants with different leaf shapes and textures, and differing shades of green. At least half the plants chosen should be of this type. Plantings are lush and crowded rather than muted and ordered. Densely planted groundcovers add to the verdant tropical look.
Include some plants with bright, variegated foliage or with large, vivid blooms to create interest and to bring colour to an otherwise green garden. Use plants with bold, bright blooms in hues of red, orange, bright yellow, shocking pink or vibrant purple.
A few large clumps of colour are preferable to spots of colour throughout the garden. Colourful tropical fruit can feature in the garden, for example orange-red tree tomatoes, apricot-orange pawpaws and purple granadillas.
Consider these plants for your Balinese-style garden:
* Trees with large striking blooms: Alberta magna, wild pomegranate (Burchellia bubalina), silk floss tree (Chorisia speciosa), Magnolia grandiflora, African flame (Spathodea campanulata), coral tree (Erythrina spp), tibouchina.
* Palms: Subtropical gardens include fan palms (Chamaerops humilis), Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis), Washington palm (Washingtonia filifera), pygmy date palm (Phoenix roebelinii) and dwarf palm (Sabal minor).
* Plants with large, bold foliage: Aspidistra, acanthus, elephant’s ears, Calathea spp, cordyline, dieffenbachia, Fatsia japonica, gunnera, hostas, ligularia, delicious monster, Philodendron selloum and P “Xanadu”, staghorn fern, Strelitzia spp, scadoxus, arums, Canna cultivars, bromeliads, croton (Codiaeum spp).
* Plants with dramatic, upright foliage: New Zealand flax, Cordyline australis, Dracaena spp, Yucca spp and sansevieria.
* Groundcovers: Dwarf agapanthus, bromeliads, mondo grass (Ophiopogon spp), hen-and-chickens, liriope and ferns.
* Plants with large striking blooms: Anthurium, tuberous begonias, moonflowers (Brugmansia x candida), canna hybrids, Clerodendrum spp, clivia, Dichorisandra thyrsiflora, frangipani, hibiscus, heliconia, impatiens, Tibouchina “Jules”, hippeastrum and scadoxus.
* Orchids: Finally, cymbidium and phalaenopsis orchids are a great patio accessory for any Balinese garden. - Weekend Argus